In every business organization, the operations staff and managers are expected to carry out numerous tasks to ensure its smooth functioning and for expediting business growth. As they are in charge of most of the processes in different business verticals, they are also responsible for accounting and finances, reporting, and inventory. While others may be handling client interactions, sales deals, or marketing tie-ups, operations staff and managers are the ones who keep various business functions running efficiently. Naturally, they will need a specific set of skills and multiple attributes to weather the stresses on the shopfloors and to successfully churn out products and services day in and day out.
The duties, roles, and responsibilities of the operations managers and staff in different organizations tend to be quite extensive and diverse. However, all of them are crucial for the well-organized operations and successful running of their respective business ventures. So, the operations staff and managers need to have common attributes and traits that include communicating effectively, thinking analytically, and executing efficiently. They should also be proficient in data processing, problem-solving, planning, time management, organizing, adapting to changes, and decision-making. They also need to be well conversant with capital budgeting, risk assessment, and strategic planning and have the technological proficiency to understand the production process and related aspects thoroughly.
As operations management is mainly concerned with various processes, one of the most important traits that the operations staff and managers should have is process orientation. In the modern business world, the technically proficient operations staff use the latest digital tools and equipment, including artificial intelligence, to reorient processes and optimize them for maximum ROI. They also depend on workflow management systems to reengineer business processes as well as to innovate and improve process models. Thus, in every business vertical, the operations staffs are the ones who manage the core processes and business functions. In manufacturing, these are the engineers and managers who oversee production pipelines. In supply chains, they are the warehouse staff and transport managers.
Thus, in each of these positions, they handle and oversee critical processes that reflect a business enterprise’s core functions. So, the operations staff and managers should have a clear understanding and grasp of the administration of the entire business operation and all the activities needed to achieve goals, accomplish higher productivity, and boost profitability. Beyond these, they may also need to demonstrate excellent proficiency in managing the workforce and monitoring and improving performance. However, all operations staff may not need leadership skills, though some will have to possess them depending on their roles and responsibilities. But all of them need to be exceptional team players because they must thoroughly support each other to ensure optimal coordination and smooth running of all the business operations consistently and indefinitely without any hiccups.
